Memories We Can't Forget
by JaneyWaney204
Summary: Four years have passed. Today was graduation day. Everything had changed. They all thought it was over; how wrong they were." Set at 2013, way past Season 3; spoilers mentioned. CB, SN, CG.


**Summary: **Four years have passed. Today was graduation day.  
Everything had changed. Loves were rekindled and found. Friendships were torn and lost. Lonely, confused, hurt, deceived: everyone was. They all thought it was over; that the drama was done.

How wrong they were.

_Today was graduation day.  
_Also known as the day that changed all of their lives.

**A/N: **Talking to Jovi randomly one day, the coolest idea popped into my head...what was it? Well, read on to find out ;)  
Chuck -x- Blair, Serena -x- Nate, Carter -x- Georgina

**Caution**: This is story is pretty long, so be prepared :O

**Disclaimer:** Ok, I do not own Gossip Girl in any way. If I did, I would be rubbing it in your face :P But I don't...so, yeah. _Curse me for not coming up with a better disclaimer!_

Memories We Can't Forget

* * *

"I am now pleased to present the graduating class of 2013. Congratulations to you all."

There they were...the words that finally freed Blair from her small dorm room and the awful campus food that she had to resort to when Chuck wasn't around to take her to fancy restaurants. These were the words that she had been waiting for ever since she landed into the non-Ivy League NYU. Now her college days were done and she was free to live her happily ever after with Chuck.

Grinning widely, she threw her cap up in the air and watched everyone else do the same. Cheers erupted in the air as the violet hats slowly made their way back down to the ground.

---

She scanned the area, looking only for one face. Standing off to corner, beaming with pride and holding a rose in his hand, she saw him. Her mind was muddled and her heart was beating a mile per minute as she rushed through the crowd and into his waiting arms. He hugged her strongly and kissed her lips, awakening the butterflies in her stomach. Her mind flashed back to her seventeenth birthday party.

_She sighed. "Ugh, you nauseate me."_

"_All this talk about how you have to be with Nate or the world will end...face it! It's over."_

"_You sound like a jealous boyfriend." she looked back out over the railing, pretending to admire the city lights when really the only thing she was thinking about was Chuck._

_He scoffed._

"_Yeah right. You wish." he said in an unconvincing and worried tone._

_A smile started to form on her face as she realized the double meaning of his words._

"_No...__you__ wish,"_

"_Please. You forget who you're talking to."_

_His attempt at hiding his emotions wasn't really working..._

"_So do you." Just then, the thought occurred to her._

" _Do you...like me?" she asked._

_He just stared at her for a minute before finally answering._

"_Define 'like'"._

_It was her turn to scoff now._

"_You have got to be kidding! I do not believe this..." Blair said, realizing the only reason she was freaked out was because it was too overwhelming. Chuck Bass actually __likes__ someone? Someone like her?!_

"_How do you think I feel? I haven't slept...I feel sick, like there's something in my stomach...fluttering."_

_She gasped. Fluttering can only mean..._

"_Butterflies?" she asked, appalled._

"So how does it feel to finally be a college graduate?" he whispered in her ear.

"Hmm...relieving." she murmured, reaching up to kiss him once more.

"I can see that. Now how about you change out of your robe and we can go to dinner to celebrate. I'm thinking...Gramercy Tavern?"

Bair smiled, knew it was so like Chuck to get them reservations to her favorite restaurant.

"Let's go!" she said, leading him towards his limo.

Pulling him in the backseat with her, she giggled as she crushed herself to him and he closed the door behind him so all of NYU didn't have to see a déjà vu of their infamous backseat limo rides.

* * *

"Aww, S, I'm going to miss you so much!"

"I know, Liv. Promise to stay in touch?"

"I promise."

The blonde tightly hugged Olivia. Ever since Dan introduced her, Serena had become close to her. Unfortunately, they broke up since NYU had about 20,000 students, she had transferred to Brown where it was smaller and not as much people recognized her for her celebrity image. With Blair away, Serena decided to find another friend to keep her company for now and Olivia Burke fit the game.

Pulling out of the embrace, Serena waved sadly at Liv and blew a kiss as she stalked off to find her family. Everyone had shown up to her graduation. She had wanted to see them all before she set out on the European trip that she never took back in the summer before attending Brown.  
Unfortunately, Chuck couldn't show up because he had Blair's graduation to attend to. She smiled to herself as she thought about the surprise he had planned for Blair. She was glad that things were working out well between them; she had never seen her best friend so happy before.

"Serena!"

Her golden locks flew in front of her face as she whipped her head around to see a face that she wasn't expecting to see.

Nate bounded over to her from across the lawn with a smile on his face.

"Hey," he said out of breath.

Her heart was beating out of control as she tried her best to calm herself. After all, he had broken her heart...why did she still react this way around him?

"Nate, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at Columbia? For graduation, I mean. Because today is graduation day. You know, the day where we graduate? From college?"

She was rambling; she knew it. He had that effect on her that left her in a bundle of nerves.

He just chuckled at her nervousness and replied, "Actually, I had mine earlier in the day. I met up with Blair and Chuck...things seem to be going good with them. Then I hopped on a plane and arrived here just a couple of hours ago. It's been a long time since-"

"Why did you come here?" she asked, jumping straight to the only question that was in her mind right now.

"I wanted to come see you," he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and gazing at her with his penetrating blue eyes.

"I thought I made it clear that this thing between us was over," she said, her voice cracking in the end as a result of the tears starting to pool at her eyes.

"Let's work it out then, figure it out. If it doesn't turn out the way we planned, we can simply stay friends. I just can't get over how badly I ended things with you after the whole...incident."

She looked up at him; the memories flashing back to her.

"_Hey Natie! I brought over some movies. It's your favorite...Tiffany's!" she called out sarcastically._

_When he didn't reply, she called his name again._

"_Nate?"_

_Suddenly she heard sounds coming from his bedroom, and walked over to it, slowly opening the door._

"_NATE?!"_

_This time she was screaming as she saw him making out with Vanessa._

_She heard him curse under her breath and her throat felt dry._

"_Serena, what are you doing here?" he asked frantically while buttoning his shirt._

"_I came to spend some time with you because after you told me you __loved__ me, I thought we should actually act like a couple! Apparently, now that doesn't seem to be the case." She snapped and slammed the door behind her as she ran back out into the cold, biting snow._

"Nate, I don't think that's such a good idea..."

"Please Serena. I'm trying to make an effort here. Come on...Natie's asking you." he said with a teasing pout.

She let out a little laugh at her old nickname for him. What happened between them happened years ago. They were more mature now.

"Okay, meet me at my apartment at 8:00."

* * *

"Mmm..." she breathed, rolling into a warm body and instantly fluttering her eyes open as she saw who her bed buddy was.

She jolted awake and rushed out of the bed, quickly searching for her scattered clothes.

While bending down to search under the chair, a pair of arms snagged her around her waist, and she shrieked.

"Shh! You'll wake the whole hotel up." he whispered in her ear.

"Get off of me!" she squirmed, pushing him away.

"Don't be like that, Georgie..." he said, only tightening his embrace.

"Carter, what happened last night was the last time. Now can you please get your hands away from me and let me put on some clothes!"

After he let her go, she hurried into the bathroom to change.

Staring at herself through the mirror in shock, she realized she didn't even look like Georgina Sparks anymore. She looked...happier.

She jumped in the shower and let the cool water wake her up. Eventually, she was nearing hypothermia, so she jumped out and toweled herself dry. She checked again to make sure the door was locked. With a sigh of relief, she started brushing through her hair and put on her clothes.

Opening the door, she glanced up to see Carter already dressed and sitting on the now made bed, breakfast tray in hand.

"I thought you would be hungry after last night's workout, so I ordered some food for us."

"Thanks," she mumbled, sitting down next to him and reaching out for some fruit and a buttered croissant.

He looked at her with a slight smirk set on his face.

"Don't even think about anything."

He chuckled and lightly kissed her cheek.

"Think about what?"

She gave him a death glare and he backed off.

Eating breakfast in silence, She wondered what he was thinking about right now. She knew what she was thinking, at least.

"_No! I don't want to go anywhere...I'm too exhausted." she replied in a slurred voice. Must've been all the martinis she chugged down._

"_Come on, we need to get you out of here before you hurt yourself...or get pregnant." He added, eyeing the mysterious men in the corner that kept glancing at her._

"_No, I don't want a baby."_

"_Well, that's a relief."_

_He dragged her into the waiting cab and told the driver her hotel's address. No way could he take her back to her suite alone. She would probably pass out on the elevator as soon as he got her in it._

"_You smell funny..." she drawled, looking up at him._

"_Funny?"_

"_Yeah, you smell clean and non-alcoholic."_

"_And that's bad?"_

"_No..." she whispered, resting her head on his chest and inhaling, "It smells nice."_

_Luckily, before she could fall asleep, they had arrived. After paying the cabbie, he pulled her out and door and inside. Once inside the elevator, he pressed the button that lead to her floor. After the other fateful nights he had spent there during their one-month fling, he knew her room by heart._

_The doors opened with a "ding!" to signal their arrival. Fumbling with the spare key he kept, he debated on whether or not he should stay. Obviously if he stayed, she would yell at him for it in the morning.  
Then again, if he didn't, she would probably fall asleep by the toilet after puking up all of tonight's drinks._

"_This room looks familiar," she said._

"_It should. This is your suite, remember?"_

"_Oh yeah!" she said with a drunken giggle._

_Plopping her down on the bed, he started pulling her alcohol scented clothes off of her._

"_What are you doing?"she asked._

"_Getting you out of these clothes."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because they smell like the inside of a champagne bottle." he replied with a grin._

"_Oh...okay! Ahh, I'm so tired."_

"_I bet you are."_

_Now only in her undergarments, she lay down on the bed and looked to Carter with a twinkle in her eyes._

"_Sleep with me."_

_Frozen, he looked at her and gave her a perceptive look._

"_You're drunk and you don't know what you're talking about."_

"_Yes, I do!" she whined._

_Creeping closer to her, she pulled him in for a passionate kiss. However, he pulled away._

"_You're going to hate me for this in the morning."_

"_No, I won't."_

_He gave her an unsure look, but continued kissing her anyways._

And it was true. She didn't hate him for that. She was actually glad. What happened between them last night was better than anything she's ever experienced before, with anyone. Not even Chuck Bass, the Upper East Side's previous womanizer, could satisfy her needs like Carter could.

"I told you you'd hate me."

"What?" His voice had snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Last night, I mean."

Looking down, she lied and said, "I don't remember that."

"Of course you don't..." he mumbled sadly.

"Carter, I-"

"Forget it," he said with a sigh, "You should leave soon...change into some new clothes-"

"Carter." she said louder this time to get his attention. He looked over at her with sad eyes.

She kissed him and he didn't fight against her as they toppled over each other once more.

* * *

Nate ordered a drink for both of them and looked back at Serena. She looked stunning as ever. Wearing a dress that flattered her perfectly, her hair hanging in loose waves down her shoulders...he wondered why he had ever screwed things up with her.

He had asked her to come tonight so he could make things up with her. After what happened with Blair, he didn't want to make that mistake again.

"Serena."

She looked over at him with sad eyes.

"I'm not over you."

"Gee, Nate, I wonder when I've heard that before." she said in sarcastic voice, meaning what happened between the three friends after she came back from boarding school.

"This time is different!" he urged, reaching for her hands. She pulled them away, but he still continued.  
"This time, I don't have a girlfriend. This time, I know what I want...which is you."

"And what if after a couple of weeks, you don't anymore? I'm not gonna come running back to you like nothing ever happened."

"It won't happen."

Her head snapped up and she glared back at him.

"How do you know? Besides, you have a thing for screwing up." she snapped.

He frowned, not wanting to think off all those times that it happened.

Her eyes softened as she realized her mistake.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay," he mumbled, looking down at the floor.

"I didn't mean to."

He gave her a small smile. "I know."

She quickly took a gulp of her drink.

"Things were so easier for us back then..." she said through sips.

"Yeah...no gossip, no drama."

"No lies and no hurt."

He laughed. "Exactly."

Their minds both wandered to when they first met.

_It was the first day of kindergarten.  
Everyone was outside for recess._

_Walking out the door with her silky blonde hair billowing behind her, Nate gasped at the sight of her._

"_Who's that?" he whispered to Chuck._

"_I have no idea..." he answered absent-mindedly. Looking over, Nate noticed his best friend eyeing the girl that was near the blonde. He rolled his eyes as he figured she'd be someone else for him to hit on._

_Ignoring him, he walked over to the exquisite girl. She was talking to a brunette._

"_Hi," he chocked out nervously._

_The fair-haired girl turned around to face him._

_A huge smile stretched across her face as she stuck out her hand for him to shake._

"_Hi! I'm Serena van der Woodsen, "She perked as she swiveled back around to face the other girl.  
"And this is my friend, Blair Waldorf."_

"_Hi," the other girl said shyly, shaking his hand as well._

_He gave her his usual charming smile and looked back at Serena._

"_I'm Nathaniel Archibald. But I just go by Nate."_

_Serena giggled and exclaimed, "Ooh! Mind if I call you 'Natie'?"_

"_Nope. I like it."_

"_Yay!" she replied, clapping her hands together._

"_You're very pretty," he blurted out._

_She smiled._

"_Thank you. Wanna be friends?"_

"_Yeah, I'd like that."_

_However, secretly, he hoped for something a little bit more than friendship..._

"Things sure have changed..."

"Yeah, they have." she agreed.

"And they'll keep changing. But this is one thing I hope won't change."

He looked at her with sincere eyes, wanting her to forgive him so much. She looked back, meeting his intense gaze.

"I promise I won't hurt you ever again."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she said in a quiet voice.

"This one I can and will keep."

"Why?"

"I love you."

She gasped for a moment, before regaining her breath.

"How do I know you actually mean it this time?"

"Because," he whispered.

Pulling her face to his, he kissed her. By her reaction, he figured that all was forgiven.

"I love you, too." she mumbled into his lips.

* * *

"That was..." she tried to think of the best word for it. Nice? Wonderful? Fantastic? Terrific? Amazing?

"Perfect." He finished the sentence for her and gently kissed her hair.

"Yeah...perfect." she said.

"Georgie?"

"Hmm?"

"I have a surprise for you."

She perked up.

"Really? What is it?" she asked grinning, widely.

He picked up his discarded pants off the floor and reached into the pockets, pulling out a set of keys.

"Keys? Well...umm thanks. I, uh, love keys."

He laughed. "They're not just any set of keys...they're keys to an apartment."

"An apartment?"

"Yeah. I bought an apartment for us, and I want you to move in to it with me. As my girlfriend."

Georgina's jaw fell open.  
_Live? In an apartment? Together? _she thought.

He loved the idea, but now, he thought, maybe they really were heading a bit too fast? They obviously felt more than just lust for each other, but still...

Randomly, they both thought back to the time of when they first laid eyes on each other.

"_Georgie! There's someone I want you to meet!"_

_Serena was dragging Carter by the arm, wanting him to meet her new friend, too._

"_Serena, do I have to?" he whined._

_She shot him an angry look and said, "Yes."_

_She then pulled him up properly on his feet and he now saw himself face to face with her._

_She was not tall like Serena; she was the right height. She had pretty dark red hair that swung by her arms and a smile that showed she was a mischievous little girl._

"_Hi, I'm Georgina Sparks."_

"_Carter Baizen. Nice to meet you."_

"_You too," she said, flashing that brilliant smile again._

"_You know...you have really pretty hair." he said, extending his arm to tousle it._

_She giggled. "Well thank you. Most people prefer blondes," she said, motioning to Serena who had walked off to talk to someone._

"_Not me." He grinned._

"_Listen, I'm trying to get revenge on someone, but I need someone's help. Serena's too much of a goody-goody, so she won't do it."_

"_Well, I'd be glad to help, except I'm no good at it."_

"_Come on, then. I'll teach you."_

"_I don't know..."_

"_I know where they hide the Peter __Hermes`__ macaroons..."_

_It didn't take much time for young Carter to consider the offer. "Deal."_

_They shook on it and walked off arm in arm as she explained her plan._

"I remember! Turns out Blair Waldorf ate all of them."

They both laughed at the memory and soon her eyes lingered back over to the keys.

He followed her gaze and said, "So how about it?"

"I don't know..."

She realized she sounded just like Carter from the memories.

"What can I say to convince you?"

She shrugged, unsure of what could work.

All of a sudden, his eyes lit up.

"What if I told you I loved you?"

She slowly turned to look at him and saw that he indeed wasn't kidding.

They sat like that for a couple moments, just staring at each other, until she finally broke the silence.

Pinning him down against the pillows, her face just inches from his she breathed, "It might work...maybe if you say it again?"

"I love you."

"Yeah, I'll move in with you, boyfriend."

"Thank God."

He kissed her and finally, things seemed to be looking up for him.

* * *

Blair glanced up to see that Chuck returned from the bathroom.

"You're back."

Her eyes sparkled as she saw him approach her. She loved him so much...

"Yeah, I am." he said, planting a quick kiss on her cheek before sitting back down. "And it looks like I missed dessert."

"No worries, I saved some for you."

She forked at the molten chocolate lava cake, hovering the piece by his mouth as he took a bite.

She giggled as she reached for a napkin to wipe the crumbs of his face.

"Now Blair, I'm a big boy, I know how to feed myself."

He ate the rest of the cake quickly and looked back up at her. Reaching across the table, they intertwined their fingers and he laughed.

"What is it?" she asked, smile on her face, obviously content.

"Chuck and Blair holding hands."

She chuckled as she looked at their hands.

"There was also Chuck and Blair going to the movies, Chuck and Blair being Chuck and Blair..."

He needed to do this tonight. There was no better moment.

As he pulled his hand away, she looked at him confused.

"You forgot one more thing..."

"And what's that?" she asked.

His only reply to her was a smirk.

He stood up from the chair and tapped his champagne glass with a spoon.

"Can I have everyone's attention? I'd like to make an announcement."

Blair was blushing furiously and bewilderedly asked him, "Chuck, what are you doing?"

"You'll see" he replied with a wink.

Every eye in the room was now on them. He took her hand and led her to the floor.

"Blair, I have no idea how someone like me got such a wonderful girl like you. I still ask myself that question now. Every time I'm with you, I keep thinking '_This is too good to be true_'. You are the only one who had the power to change me."

"Chuck?" she whispered, but he ignored her.

"I'm gonna make this easy for you. Three letters...one word...say it...I'm already yours.

"You have been my girlfriend for 4 years...now, I hope you'll be more than that. I want you to be my wife."

She just gaped at Chuck in pure shock as he stretched down onto one knee and pulled out a small, square box from his pocket. She was sure this was a dream...

As he opened the box, the rest of their audience gasped with her as a magnificent diamond ring (that she realized was his mother's) was revealed resting in the velvet cushion inside.

"Blair Cornelia Waldorf, I love you... I always have and I always will."

At this point, they both thought back to the moment of when they knew that they were meant to be together.

_She was sitting on the bench, looking at all the kids playing together. Unfortunately, Nate was sick and Serena didn't even bother to show up at school, so she was all alone today._

_He saw her beautiful chocolate curls and instantly knew it was her. She was the girl by the swings that he had been staring at when Nathaniel asked him some question he couldn't even remember._

_Getting a devious idea, he walked up behind her and said, "Boo."_

_She shrieked until she noticed his laughter. She turned around to face him. He was rolling around on the ground, laughing his head off at her reaction._

"_That was not funny!" she screeched at him, sticking her ruby lips out in a pout._

_He picked himself up off the ground and straightened his scarf as he tried his best to control his laughter._

"_Yeah, it was." he finally replied._

"_You're a meanie!"_

"_So I've been told." he said, plastering his signature smirk upon his devilishly handsome face._

_She shoved him and scoffed._

"_Ooh, I love my girls rough." he breathed huskily._

"_Eww." Blair said, scrunching her nose in disgust._

"_Ah ah ah...don't do that; you'll get premature wrinkles."_

_She looked at him in horror as she ran her hands over her nose, making sure her little gesture wouldn't make her get Botox at the age of 5._

"_Isn't there someone else you can torture?" she snapped at him._

"_Probably," he stepped closer to her and heard her catch her breath, "But I choose you."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because you're really pretty," he said, turning on the charm, but not out of habit. There was something about this girl that made him __want__ to be good.  
She blushed at his comment as he twirled one of her curls on his finger._

"_Who are you?" she eventually asked._

"_I thought you'd never ask," he said, smirking once again, "I'm Chuck Bass."_

_He handed her his hand as she scrutinized it. He sighed._

"_I promise I don't have cooties."_

_Reluctantly, she shook it back and he kissed her hand, causing her to giggle._

_Before he could ask her what her name was, the PA system turned on and he heard the headmaster's voice._

"_Charles Bartholomew Bass, please come down to the office."_

_The girl burst into a fit of laughter._

"_What's so funny?" he growled._

"_Your middle name is '__Bartholomew'__?"_

"_So! I bet you middle name is worse..."_

"_As if I'd ever tell you it."_

"_Also, Blair Cornelia Waldorf, report to the office, too. Thank you."_

"'_Cornelia' is worse than 'Bartholomew'."_

"_Naw-uh! 'Bartholomew' sounds like an old person's name."_

"_Well, so does 'Cornelia'."_

_She stuck her tongue out at him and he raised his hands up in defense._

"_Don't blame me; blame our parents."_

"_Good point..."_

"_So," he eyed the gorgeous petite girl, "what did you do?"_

"_Ate all the macaroons." she said with a proud smile on her face._

_He chuckled. "Not bad, Waldorf."_

"_And you?"_

"_Tried to seduce girls during nap time." He said, evil smirk in place._

"_Ick. Hey...you any good at plotting?"_

"_Please, I invented it."_

_She grinned at him as they made their way to the office._

"_Walk with me, talk with me." she started._

_Chuck knew that this girl would be a great partner in crime...perhaps more?_

He uttered the words. The words that no one would dare believe Chuck Bass, the bad boy of the Upper East Side, would ever say, to anyone.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, gazing at her with his mesmerizing amber eyes.

The tears started uncontrollably pouring down her cheeks. She knew her makeup was running and she probably looked so stupid right now, but she didn't care.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes!"

He beamed in triumph and lifted her of her feet, kissing her in front of the whole restaurant as the cheers erupted around them.

"I would love to marry you!" she added, as he slipped the ring on her finger and kissed it.

He pulled her into his warm embrace and whispered in her ear,

"You forgot Chuck and Blair getting married."

* * *

**A/N: **You like? xD

Anyways, this story (or shall I call it a 'novel' due to its length???) is dedicated to Jovi (a.k.a. JoJo.x); for all the random babbling, over-obsessive GG fandom, and Friday the 13th (:

Please don't hate on me if I paired the wrong people together (according to you) or added a bad plot to one of the couples. However, if you do hate me, then why are you still reading this? :S

The CB engagement - I *HAD* to add that...they're at a normal age and after college seemed like the best time.  
The CG couple thing - This was actually sort of a test run for me, and to me they seemed like they would be a nice couple together  
Those seemed to be the two biggest things, but if you want me to explain anything else, PM me or leave a review.

Speaking of reviews, did you know that they're highly nutritious? And no calories at all! ;D

xoxo,

Jane ")

P.S. For those wonering on my other fanfic, I have been busy wth otherthings and haven't started to write it. I know I said I'd update tomorrow (which was like a week ago by now), n I'm sorry. I will get wroking on it today and there's a 99.9999999999999% chance I'll finish it for you guys by tomorrow; Monday at the latest.  
Thanks for the patience (:


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